ICAB CL Information Technology study plan
ICAB CL Information Technology · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Information Technology
Map the Domain 1 syllabus into a one-page concept list covering hardware, software, networks, databases and emerging technology, then rank each item by your current confidence
Explain in writing how a CPU, primary memory and secondary storage interact during program execution, using your own worked example
Distinguish system software from application software and classify ten real products you use at work into the correct category
Build a personal glossary of 40 IT terms with a one-line definition for each, flagging any term you cannot define from memory
Your checkpoint
A 40-term glossary plus a ranked concept list marking your three weakest Domain 1 areas
Information Technology
Describe the layers of the OSI and TCP/IP models and state the function of each layer without notes
Compare LAN, WAN, intranet and internet architectures and identify which one fits three given organisational scenarios
Summarise cloud service and deployment models and give one business risk and one benefit for each
Solve ten practice items on networks and emerging technology, then rework every wrong answer until you can justify the correct option in one sentence
Your checkpoint
A one-page network and cloud comparison table plus a log of ten practice items with corrected reasoning
Information Systems and Data Management
Diagram the components of an information system (people, process, data, software, hardware, network) and annotate how each supports a finance function
Classify five named business systems as transaction processing, management information, decision support or executive information, and justify each classification
Trace how a single sales transaction flows from data capture to a report used by management
Write out the stages of the traditional systems development life cycle and state one key control at each stage
Your checkpoint
A system-flow diagram showing one transaction moving from capture to management report, with the control at each stage labelled
Information Systems and Data Management
Compare the relational, hierarchical and object-oriented database models and state one suitable use case for each
Define primary key, foreign key, entity and relationship, then draw an entity-relationship diagram for a simple sales and customer scenario
Explain the purpose of normalisation and identify the normal form violated in three flawed table designs
Distinguish data warehousing, data mining and big data analytics and give one audit-relevant use of each
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn entity-relationship diagram for a customer-sales database with normalisation notes for three flawed tables
IT Controls, Security and Assurance
Categorise ten named IT controls as preventive, detective or corrective, and as general or application controls
Explain segregation of duties in an IT environment and identify three incompatible role combinations in a small finance team
Describe how input, processing and output controls each protect data integrity, with one concrete example per category
Draft a short control matrix linking five identified risks to specific controls and the evidence an auditor would seek
Your checkpoint
A risk-control-evidence matrix covering five IT risks with the auditor evidence required for each
IT Controls, Security and Assurance
Explain the CIA triad and apply it to three realistic threats such as phishing, ransomware and insider misuse
Compare authentication factors and access control models, and recommend a control set for remote access to a financial system
Outline the phases of an IT audit engagement from planning through reporting, and state the objective of each phase
Distinguish CAATs, audit sampling software and continuous auditing, and describe when each is appropriate
Your checkpoint
A two-page threat-to-control write-up covering three threats with recommended controls and audit procedures
Information Technology & Information Systems and Data Management & IT Controls, Security and Assurance
Complete a timed mixed set of 60 questions weighted across all three domains and record your score by domain
Rework every incorrect answer into a corrected note stating why the wrong option fails
Revisit your weakest two sub-topics from the domain score breakdown and rewrite their summary notes from memory
Explain aloud, in under two minutes each, five core concepts spanning all three domains
Your checkpoint
A scored 60-question mock with a domain-by-domain breakdown and corrected notes for every miss
Information Technology & Information Systems and Data Management & IT Controls, Security and Assurance
Sit a second full-length timed mock under exam conditions and compare the domain scores against week 7
Drill only the sub-topics still below your target, using spaced repetition over three separate sessions
Condense all notes into a single revision sheet of no more than four pages
Rehearse exam timing and question triage so you can state your target pace per question
Your checkpoint
A four-page final revision sheet plus a comparison of two mock scores showing improvement by domain
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 70 percent on a 25-question Domain 1 set and define 35 of your 40 glossary terms from memory
Week 4: Produce a correct entity-relationship diagram unaided and score at least 70 percent on a 25-question Domain 2 set
Week 6: Score at least 70 percent on a 25-question Domain 3 set and complete the threat-to-control write-up without referring to notes
Week 7: Achieve at least 65 percent overall on the first 60-question mixed mock with no domain below 55 percent
Week 8: Achieve at least 75 percent overall on the final mock with every domain at or above 65 percent